


The Sibling I Never Knew I Had

by starrjiarr



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Coming Out, Ghosts, Mention Alison Hargreeves, Mention Luther Hargreeves, Mention Vanya Hargreeves, Mention of death but not how the ghosts died, Reggie is not a good dad, diego being a good bro, its just xanax, klaus goes by they/them, mention of implied suicide but it’s just a misunderstanding, mentions of drug use, non-binary klaus, unedited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-15
Updated: 2020-08-15
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:28:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25913644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starrjiarr/pseuds/starrjiarr
Summary: Memories sometimes come back as tides, sometimes as waves. When Klaus finally goes back home after their dad passes, memories of a night he shared with his brother Diego come back in waves, memories of the night he thought he would have never gotten.
Comments: 1
Kudos: 25





	The Sibling I Never Knew I Had

**Author's Note:**

> hello lgbt+z, I wrote this cuz we all agree that Klaus goes by they/them and I love Diego and Klaus’ bond so I decided to write them, this is a one shot ig and I actually finished it which is a first, it’s also not properly edited so cheers to that! This is kinda based off of my experience with coming out in the sense of I also thought I was never gunna b able to come out and I know a few other ppl have experienced that so here, also I wrote this on my phone cuz I don’t own a computer so sorry if it’s awkward, Hope u enjoy

Going back home felt more like a chore than it did a necessity. Dad was dead, so fucking what? He was dreadful to all of them, not only Klaus. Seeing the metal bent into an umbrella at the gate only brought a sick feeling to Klaus’ stomach, luckily they popped a few Xanaxs on the way so this will be more bearable. They tried to regain some form of confidence and walked through the gates. Instinctively they tried turning the door knob and it surprisingly worked, they hadn’t been able to open this door easily since they left.

The memories of hastily packing in the night, always looking at the door to make sure no one was going to be charging through to question them. All they needed was a bag of stuff, they didn’t own much, not like dad let them. A few places that had some illegal paraphernalia tucked away, their favorite pair of boots they begged Alison to get them from one of her photo shoots, one of the old beaten up jackets Diego let them borrow and they never returned, a coin purse vanya had made a while ago that Klaus always kept a secret stash of emergency cash in because they always knew this day would come but they just didn’t know it would be so sudden. Diego had left two days prior, a week after their collective 17th birthday, he had had enough. Enough of the experiments, enough of the pitting them against one another, enough of the abuse. Everyone heard what he said to Dad, how he wasn’t a father but rather a monster. Klaus noticed that he only stuttered a few words, they were so proud of their brother, but knew this meant they didn’t have anyone anymore. Ben was always around yeah, but there was no one to defend them against dad's cruel words anymore. Closer and closer to their birthday Diego had been becoming more and more defiant. But now he was gone. Klaus had a small duffel bag packed, he turned off all the lights, took one last painful look at the dead messages and poems written on the walls and began to run, leaving the door open behind them. They dashed by the siblings rooms, they couldn’t look at them, guilt was infesting their veins, Vanya now was officially alone, Alison didn’t have someone to gawk at her new clothes with and Luther didn’t have someone to help dad let his aggression out on. The only person they saw was mom, she asked in her kind voice where they were going, Klaus grabbed her hand and said, “I’m moving on, mom.” and started to run again. 

The house was the same as they had left it, except only dusty? Maybe it was always dusty they thought, they didn’t think much longer about it, they started to troll the halls looking for signs of any other person they once knew, they saw mom in the kitchen but turned before she could notice they were there, the door to Pogos room was opened only a crack and a soft sigh could be heard, Klaus turned before he could notice they were there. They guessed they were the first to arrive, that’s never happened before. Normally Klaus was the fashionably late of the bunch, but things were already weird so maybe this was just a coincidence. They walked through the hallway that once was the entrance to their room, when they opened the door a pang of sadness and teenage anxiety came flooding back mostly as memories, the Xanax helped with the feelings part. They removed sitting on that bed, listening to people describe things no one should hear, stories about where their bodies are lied, stories about how they didn’t get to tell their loved ones how much they cared, stories about craving revenge, stories they tried to transcribe on their walls when the stories were too loud to sleep, when not even Ben's spirit could drown them out. They remember Diego seeing them in that state once. It was night, dinner had long been finished, lights out had long been commenced, a lamp in the corner was the only indication to the rest of the world that one person was awake but for Klaus it was for all the people who couldn’t sleep. They were writing the story of an old man, an old man who had so many regrets on how he never got to tell his son how much he cared and how he was stuck somewhere in the mountains and only if he wasn’t so adventurous then maybe he would get to meet his grandchildren. Klaus wrote frantically, white knuckles, it felt like their bones were shaking under their muscles, their eyes were raw from the constant wiping of tears and of slamming their head into pillows. They didn’t notice anything except the stories until a vice like grip swung their arm forcing them to finally turn from their writings, it was Diego.

“What are you doing, man?” His face didn’t show concern just confusion, “I whispered your name like five times, what are you doing?” He then glanced at the marked up walls and Klaus lowered their head and gave a dry chuckle, “They just wouldn’t shut up until I wrote all this bullshit down.” They tried to smile and laugh to make Diego or themselves feel better, they couldn’t tell which one. Diego gulped and his voice became soft, “W-were,” he paused, “Were you crying?” He had let go of Klaus’ hand and now was sitting next to him on the bed. He stuttered, Klaus thought, why would he stutter? Is he worried? Klaus patted their brother on the head and gave a weak smile. Diego got up and walked towards the bedroom door, “C’mon. Let’s go.” Klaus also got off the bed but didn’t follow, “Where are we going?” They were already putting on their shoes, they were willing to find any excuse to distract themselves and leave this hell house but they would have appreciated a little heads up. “Griddy’s.” Diego replied flatly. “No one else is awake. So why don’t you and me just go?” Klaus smiled, it was nice to have these moments, just bonding time, they never really got it. They grabbed some cash that had been stowed away under their mattress and then turned off their lights, the pair then snuck out.

Sneaking out got easier as they got older. With the combination of powers and extreme training for a young age they could get out of that house from any direction, well, Diego could, you placed him anywhere in that house and he would find a window to crawl out of, Klaus just mostly followed. Walking at night was always nice Klaus thought, the street lights made everything look like a movie. Diego liked it because he could stay in the shadows. The pair run across the street not waiting for a red light just for there to be less cars passing. They enter Griddys with giggles and exchanges of what they’re craving. They sit in the corner near a window, not opting for the bar, when it’s just the two of them they tend to have some deep conversations about who they could be or could have been if things were different, they both hoped tonight would be the same but they didn’t wanna share those thoughts with the waitresses. An older lady in a pink dress and white apron walked up to the pair giving a pleasant greeting, her maroon hair matched her sloppy lipstick and Klaus wished they knew where she got it from. Diego ordered an orange juice with a sprinkle donut and Klaus got a chocolate eclair with strawberry milk. She sauntered off with their orders scribbled on paper.

“You know Diego,” Klaus picker up a sugar packet as they spoke, “your reputations gunna be ruined if you keep ordering sprinkle donuts.” Klaus had started to open the sugar packets and empty them onto the table. “My reputation?” Diego amused him. “Yeah, you know the brooding tough guy kicks ass and solves crime.” Klaus said this all in a mocking deep raspy tone and then looked at Diego and smiled. Diego smiles back, “It’s just a donut, what are sprinkles not manly anymore?” Klaus scoffed, “Pft, like I’d know.” Diego responded with a perplexed face but was distracted by their waitress bringing them their drinks and sweets, they thanked her and Klaus began to dig in as soon as she turned. Something about that comment made Diego hesitate and stare at his donut. The only thing that made him look up was Klaus, “What’s wrong with you, huh? Not enough sprinkles? Wrong flavor? We can ask for her to take it back.” They took a sip of their artificially flavored milk. “Nothing, it’s just…” he paused for the second time that night, “what did you mean by that?” He leaned closer over the table. Klaus mimicked his lean and gave him a questioning look, “What did I mean by what?” Diego sucked his teeth, “You know, what you said.” “What did I say?” “The thing you said before the waitress came over, ‘like you would know,’ what did you mean by that?” Diego knew as soon as he asked he had hit something, Klaus leaned back, no longer having their chest hover over their chocolate eclair, the took a deep awkward breath in, “Nothing, I’m just not that manly of a guy-“ “No,” Diego sing song’d, “You’re acting weird, what did you mean?” “I’m always acting weird.” Klaus tried to make a joke but it didn’t work, he finally looked to see Diego’s eyes question his every movement. “Jesus, why are you watching me like I know who killed JFK?” They tended up. “‘Cuz you’re acting weird and you’re my brother so I wanna know what’s up with you.” Klaus winced at the word brother, they hated that word, they didn’t mind being related to Diego or any of them it wasn’t that but brother would imply something of boyhood, Klaus never had a boyhood, they barely had a childhood but they didn’t feel like they had the experiences of a typical boy, they didn’t feel they had the typical experiences of a typical girl either. Diego spoke up again, “Ah, see you did it again!” He pointed. “Did what?” Klaus’ voice was high pitched now. “You made a face!” “Yeah, people tend to!” “No, you made a face when I said brother, why?” Diego smirked, annoying his siblings was a great pass time no matter how old they were, and Klaus’ always told him what they were thinking. “I’m just…” ot was Klaus’ turn to pause, “I’m just tired of the whole brother thing…” they were making circles with their index finger in the pool of sugar. Diego scoffed, “So, you don’t wanna be my brother anymore?” He leaned against the booth and crossed his arms, already catching an attitude. “What?” Klaus looked like that was ridiculous, “No, don’t be weird, I’m glad you’re my brother, you help me sneak out!” Diego relaxed, letting his arms fall back onto the table. “I just… I just don’t want to be anyone’s brother.” Klaus met Diego’s eyes to see if he was catching on but he just looked like he was trying to do mental math. “Like, I don’t wanna be anyone’s brother or sister.” They moved their hands for further emphasis. Diego had a wild look, “Klaus’... are you saying you’re gunna,” he moved his thumb along his throat, “yourself?” His voice was drenched in concern and shock. Klaus returned his expression, “What? No! Jesus, don’t be so morbid! I live a sad life but I would like to see myself have a good one!” Diego sighed and put a hand over his heart, he could get so worked up by jumping to conclusions. “I just meant, I just wanna be your guy's sibling, not brother, not sister, just sibling.” Deigo put his hand over Klaus’, “Dude, I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about.” Klaus rolled their eyes and clenched their fists. “Mary and Joseph! I’m trying to say, I’m not a boy or a girl! I never have been! I’m not your brother, I’m just like your sibiling! I’m just Klaus, I’m not your ‘dude,’ I’m not your ‘bro,’ I’m just me!” They blinked for a moment and then saw their brother's reaction, “I know you’re Klaus..” Diego was talking himself through it, they could tell, he was mumbling and then his eyes met theirs, “So, like… you’d don’t wanna be a boy or a girl?” Klaus signed and tried to regain their composure, “It’s called non-binary. I never felt right being called your guys brother, I never felt right being a boy, I never liked the ‘Klaus is girly’ jokes, I always hated that boy and girl stuff and then last year I snuck out and I went to this center, there was other people there, like me, who didn’t fit into that stuff and they helped me,” They finally decide to see their brothers eyes again, and they were, sad? Or were they just confused again? “I’m just Klaus, okay? I go by they/them, I know it might be confusing but this is who I am and-“ They stopped again, they realized what was happening, “and I just came out to my brother,” they leaned back into their booth stunned by what they had just done. Diego put his head in his hands and then looked up sharply, “So, let me get this straight, so you’re not a boy?” Klaus shook their head, still in shock. “And you’re not a girl?” Again, they shook their head. “You’re neither?” They nodded. Diego slowly began to nod. “I don’t-“ He crosses his arms over his chest and leans back, “I don’t understand completely but, I think I kinda get it.” Klaus felt like they were being pranked, “You do?” “Yeah, I think so. I mean you’ve always just been Klaus, I just need to like know what this whole, what did you call it?” “Non-binary.” “Yeah, I guess I need to find out what that means and then I’ll get it more.” He looked like he was really pondering what that term could mean, and Klaus was just sitting there like their brother had started to grow snakes out of his head. Diego then noticed his expression, “What?” He looked so concerned. “I just, I just never thought this would happen…” Diego chuckled, “What? Me kinda understanding you?” He took a drink from his orange juice. “No… me telling you.” They locked eyes. “I never thought, anyone would know, especially you guys. I always thought telling you and Alison and Vanya and Luther and Five…” they trailed off at his name, “I always thought it would never happen, that I was gunna have to be stuck in myself, being the only one who gets to know.” They had a dry desperate chuckle and their eyes began to water again, they took a sip of their milk again. Diego felt awful, had he really allowed this? For his br-sibling to think they couldn’t tell him these things? He didn’t understand it fully, he knew that but he could understand it, for Klaus he would do the research listen to them explain how they felt, he would do it all because that was his sibling, the one who gave him his first sip of alcohol, the one who took him to his first party, the one of would always have his back in fights with Luther, it was Klaus. And Klaus thought that Diego couldn’t know, didn’t need to know. Diego wiped his before tears could even run, “Umm, I’m sorry.” “Sorry for what?” Klaus looked at him. They mirrored each other in these moments, both confusing the other, saying unexpected things, feeling sadness and complex things. “I’m sorry you thought I-I c-couldn’t k-k-know.” Diego stuttered. Klaus sighed, “I thought no one could know, I thought I didn’t get the right to let people know.” They looked at their brother with a smile of someone looking at a dark past that they finally escaped but had bruises from. “I’m glad it was you, Diego. I’m glad I could tell you, first.” They smiled at him and Diego gave one back. They went back to eating their sweets and a few minutes later Diego asked Klaus to explain the whole “non-binding thing” and Klaus almost choked in his milk from laughter. 

Diego would leave the house a month later. Then Klaus would leave two days after him. Then Vanya for school a month later. Then Alison the next day. But Luther stayed. Klaus was never quite sure when Luther left for the Moon.

Klaus stood in their old room remembering everything. And then they heard footsteps from behind. “Well, well, well,” It was Diego, “Come to pawn off some of dad's stuff?” He was leaning against the door frame twirling a dagger between his gloved fingers. Klaus gave him a big toothy smile, Diego tried to conceal his smile. “Yeah, you’re still a weirdo.” And then he sauntered off. Klaus followed him out of the doorway, “I missed you too!” “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he waved them off, “you’re my favorite sibling!” He said in a sarcastic tone. 

Later, Klaus realized that they were run dry out of money and Xanax doesn’t last forever so they went back to their journey of scavenging for sellable items. On their journey they saw Diego’s old bedroom slightly open, they entered wanting to reminisce on the kid they once knew and maybe even find some embarrassing old pictures. But then something caught their eye on the desk tucked next to the bed was a stack of pamphlets, untouched for years. They recognized one, a bright purple on tucked under two white plain ones, they shuffled through and they were right, they did recognize it, it was the same pamphlet they gave Diego that night after Griddy’s. 

“Read this, it’ll help you understand me a bit more.”

“I don’t think anyone will ever be able to understand you, but this? I can understand this.” 

The same footsteps from earlier were behind them once again. “You kept it.” They whispered. “Yeah, I did.” They turned to see him standing in the doorway once again. “I didn’t take it with me in case you wanted it back, but I read all of it.” “Nah,” they set it back down, “I don’t need it anymore.” There was a silence between them, comfortable yet so many unspoken words. 

“You know I always think, ‘I wonder where they are now? Maybe they’re in Florida, they seem like a Florida person,’ but then you show you up on random street corners and I’m always surprised.” Diego started after their shared silence. 

“Oh, Diego,” Klaus walked to their brother like a cat and cupped his face in their hands, “I’d never move to Florida, too many alligators that eat people.” And then they walked off, smiling.


End file.
